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“He transformed them, too?” She looked deeply shocked.

Theo shook his head. “No, he somehow put them into a deep sleep. When I last saw them, they were trussed up and unable to move.”

“You teach youngsters to be soldiers?” she asked.

“I do two weeks of training of young Cervantes recruits, just like every senior officer. We rotate the duty.”

“And he has four of them?”

Theo nodded.

“And you will pay me fairly.” She didn’t ask it as a question, but stated it as a fact.

He nodded anyway. He had already given her the terms, and she must deem them to be fair.

She held out her hand to shake. “You have a deal.”

CHAPTER 6

“You need to rest,”Melodie said.

She’d noticed how he’d collapsed onto the log near the furnace, and she had seen the pain on his face as she’d freed him.

It was a handsome face, with straight, dark brows and sharp cheekbones.

He was a little intimidating, as well, but when he’d promised she would never have anything to fear of him, she had believed him. And her ring had not so much as twinged.

“Unfortunately, you’re right.” He rose to his feet, and she thought she saw a tiny wince as he reached his full height.

She was tall, but he was much taller—a true Cervantes warrior from what she’d observed of the breed when they came through Illoa on diplomatic trips.

Both the men and the women were tall and muscular, their hair dark, their eyes light. From what she could see, he was not lying about his rank or affiliation.

She had seen uniforms like the one he wore many times.

The Cervantes hadn’t worn uniforms for a long time, but slowly, after they’d defeated Kassia and as Kassia and Cervantes became a united kingdom, they had begun to see the value inrepresenting the country, even if it was a more informal uniform than many other armies.

The trousers were usually black, but sometimes dark gray. The shirt beneath their dark jackets, which were cut a specific way to enable easy sword work and archery, was the most prized item by the soldiers. They were said to be embroidered by the queen herself.

Melodie had long known that each one was spelled with protection. Which meant either the queen of Kassia and Cervantes was a spell worker, or she employed one to protect her troops.

Suddenly realizing the import of that, she fixed her gaze on the pale gray collar of his shirt, visible beneath his jacket. “Is that your shirt from the queen?” she asked.

He frowned, momentarily confused by her question. “No. We only each get one, and I left it behind on this trip.”

She gave a nod, and wondered if the shirt would have protected him against a spell, or whether it was more calibrated to arrows, swords and knives.

“Is it common knowledge our queen gives us a shirt she has personally embroidered?” Theo asked.

Melodie nodded. She could see he looked unhappy about that, but there was nothing to be done about it.

“I cannot offer you a place to sleep,” she said, and realized how upset the thought made her. She could only imagine the reaction from Vinest if she were to bring a Cervantes warrior to the door. “I might not have a place myself, if I make it known I am leaving with you.”

He paused, glancing toward the door that clearly led out of the forge into the house beside it.

She shook her head. “Not there. My father worked here before he died, and I spent a year living here, which is why Iknew where to find the key. I live a few streets over now.” She led the way out, and locked up behind them.

“I’ll go over to the Kassia and Cervantes side of the town,” he said. “There’s a barracks there and they’ll give me everything I need.”